The Search for Larry Amkraut

Just as we were finishing dinner on Christmas Day, I received a call to assist West Valley SAR in a search for an overdue hiker on Mt. Baldy. Upon arriving at the command post I was assigned to hike the "Hut Trail" to see if our missing hiker was waiting out the storm in the hut. Fortunately the stormy weather broke before my team of 4 entered the field.

Our vehicle could not make it more than 100 meters from the "Falls Gate" so we hiked the San Antonio Falls Rd to the hut trailhead. The night was very cold, and the fresh snow began to form a nice, hard layer of ice complementing the ice-covered trees and shrubs. Travel became treacherous requiring ice axe and crampons, and route-finding was tricky since the trail was obscured by the snow.

Approximately 200 meters from the hut one of our team members took a slide on the ice and injured his ankle, requiring us to begin our descent. Fortunately he was able to hobble down the trail, as the conditions did not make for an easy litter evacuation. Also, since it was dark, there was no chance for a hoist from a helicopter. We continued our descent and hoped that at first light conditions would improve, and we would be able to get our injured teammate out with a helicopter. As dawn approached, the wind began to blow, removing any possibility of a helicopter hoist, so we continued our way down the trail helping our teammate as best we could.

Not long after reaching the San Antonio Falls Rd. we were notified that some hikers had found "a guy in a gully" near the road above the hut trailhead. We quickly made our way up the road to confirm this and see if it was our missing hiker. Indeed it was. James and Steve, the hikers who found him, warmed him up and were escorting him down the road. Mr. Amkraut is lucky that these folks noticed him below the road when they did. This was a terrific ending after spending a cold, strenuous night on the trail.

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When we arrived at the command post we found that two friends of the missing hiker had gone out to search and taken a slide off of the trail near the Devil's Backbone. They were equipped with crampons, but no ice axe. The command post was in cell phone communication with them and directed them to stay put, but they chose to make their way back to the trail and continue their hike. A team was quickly assembled and inserted in order to escort these folks safely out.

Mr. Amkraut had sufficient gear to keep him alive in the horrendous conditions. When the weather came in, he was quickly disoriented and made a wrong turn coming down from the top. This is not a unique situation, as Mt. Baldy can be deceptively treacherous during this time of the year. It is a good thing that he was not severly injured and able to use his shelter and clothing to save his life.

I always enjoy working with my compatriots from West Valley SAR, and this time was no exception. Danny (the team leader), Wayne, and Jim were all competent searchers, with whom I would eagerly serve again.